TR: 2/7/09 Diagonal, HR

**samthaman** · 02-12-2009, 12:46 PM

We hit diagonal on Saturday, the snow was a perfect wind blown chalk, you could sink in and ski it like pow, but it didn't slough at all, pretty much dream conditions. It was even better than the corn we hit it in last spring.

We ice/turf climbed into the base of the gully, climbed up, skied down to the ice cliff, then climbed back out with the intention of skiing south. as we hit the top though some clouds blew in and we were doubtful of our ability to find south, so we aimed for Tux instead, with the knowledge that we could ski anything in tux without worrying about getting cliffed out. We found tux without any problems and skied right gully on down to the car. We even ran into powderhound (other forum), who was ice climbing, at the top of diagonal.

A great day, get after it!

EDIT: allens write up on another forum that we're on -

"So on Saturday we went to ski the mighty Sherbourne trail on Mount Washington with Sam and Greg. We had heard tails of no fall zones and mandatory ice climbs so we went prepared with the works. On the way up I think we took a right when we should have taken a left but we ended up in this large bowl full of ice climbers I thought I could see the start of the Sherbourne right over the crest of the ridge so we pushed on. After some ice, shrub, and snow climbing we made it to the rim and to my disappointment the sherbourne was no where in sight. We were then forced to ski back down a 50 degree gully with perfect chalky snow. I had forgotten that there was a 100 foot ice cliff at the bottom of the gully and we had to climb back out. After a few hours of wandering around in the low visibility of the alpine garden we finally stumbled on the rim of tucks. Alas we were almost to the sherbourne. I booked it to the floor in anticipation of the amazing low angle bumps to come. When we finally got there the stream skiing and glop was all I dreamed it would be and the day was finally a success. "

ok, so , Some PICTURES!!!

good, we're driving in the right direction...

greg air drumming. The forecast said high of 30, which i dressed for. that car thermometer was making me very worried.

going up: (photo-greg)

oh yeah, this wont suck! (photo-greg)

Dropping (photo-greg)

allen - just above a ski length wide choke

greg on the way down

from this point on, my autofocus decided not to work well. we'll call these photos "artsy"...

into the choke

the lower section

view of me finishing off the ski part:

gearing over to go back up:

A great day, i even tried to straightline the lower section of the headwall on the way down. Didn't fall, but i did learn that carbon skis with dynafits are not the ideal setup for that type of skiing....

oh and allen has video:

^^^^^^ thats probably the best way to get a sense of what it was like.

sam

**treewell-dweller** · 02-12-2009, 01:07 PM

sweet video, pretty gnar chute. nice work.

**Affix Snow** · 02-12-2009, 01:10 PM

Stellar work as always Sam!

**uppernotmaster** · 02-12-2009, 01:20 PM

Hell yes, nice work guys.

**trainnvain** · 02-12-2009, 01:38 PM

This pic is telltale of the snowpack. Some years you can huck yerself out of diagonal in various spots.

**jtran10** · 02-12-2009, 02:00 PM

Sweet work guys. I'm confused: Did you climb the ice on the way up, or was there a way around it somehow?

**samthaman** · 02-12-2009, 02:08 PM

there is a way around that involves more minor ice climbing, and a bit of dirt climbing, but doesn't go up the main flow that you see in the photo

**jtran10** · 02-12-2009, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by samthaman

there is a way around that involves more minor ice climbing, and a bit of dirt climbing, but doesn't go up the main flow that you see in the photo

Respect.

**nhtele** · 02-12-2009, 02:42 PM

Now THAT shows why skiing Mt. Washington in college will get you trained up for nearly anywhere in NA.

Originally Posted by samthaman

there is a way around that involves more minor ice climbing, and a bit of dirt climbing, but doesn't go up the main flow that you see in the photo

I was gonna say, that would be some pretty impressive soloing for having swung tools for the first time last November...

**Trackhead** · 02-12-2009, 02:51 PM

Nice! I love the east coast adventure. Looks really fun.

You should do the Triangle Couloir on your next trip to Utah. Or the Bridal Veil Falls to Cascade summit.

Right up your alley.

**allenataylor** · 02-12-2009, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by nhtele

Now THAT shows why skiing Mt. Washington in college will get you trained up for nearly anywhere in NA.

I was gonna say, that would be some pretty impressive soloing for having swung tools for the first time last November...

It was one of Greg's first ice climbs ever and all he had for the short section of grade 3 was a mountain axe and whippet. He gets props (or maybe he is just dumb) for that one. I do think however it scared him into getting real tools. We've hooked another one.

**nhtele** · 02-12-2009, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by allenataylor

I do think however it scared him into getting real tools. We've hooked another one.

Have a read here: http://www.outdoors.org/publications...nt-reports.cfm

We were skiing a very similar couloir that closed out into an icefall. Rob had neither a whippet or mountaineering axe, so it's not exactly analogous, but might be food for thought...

**samthaman** · 02-12-2009, 03:17 PM

a few others from powder_hound, who we were near all day. he was ice climbing and very jealous.

me

allen and greg taking the round about way

good view up daigonal

greg and I passing the rope team on the way back out

greg, allen, and someone from powder_hounds party

tux - where we made our escape

thanks for the shots powder_hound!

**gpcharles** · 02-12-2009, 07:09 PM

where i needed ice tools a fall likely wouldn't have resulted in death or even injury... they would have made things alot easier though.

i didn't get started into diagonal in any sense though till i got the all clear from sam who was into and had a good view of the snow climb above... if there had been further technical work up higher, i would have had to bail without ice tools as a fall up there was not an option.

that said, once on snow i felt the whippit was gonna self arrest me just as well if not better than mtn axe or ice tools.

funny that incident you quote nhtele did flash into my head though along with even less relevant ones from not without peril during the first ascent of the snow climb... i recall hearing mike, ryan and pete tell me the story when i worked for the obs just after it happened. i also had delusions of granduer thinking about such lofty places as the otter body

.... the hundred pound gorilla in the room loves to fuck with your head... he sure is fun to outsmart though

**dannyboy** · 02-12-2009, 09:16 PM

fkna - nice work!

**_Aaron_** · 02-12-2009, 09:19 PM

Fuck yeah!

**jumpturn** · 02-12-2009, 09:42 PM

No skiing on the EC. Nothing steep (like 54-55º) and nothing to see.

And, nobody who knows how to ski either!

Not! Fine tick boyz!

Still waiting, though, for repeat hucks off the bottom!

**salida** · 02-12-2009, 10:11 PM

Good work G and team.

**DEVO** · 02-13-2009, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by samthaman

!

Hey that ice tool looks familiar. Really happy to see them being put to good use. Sick TR, I think your best yet.

**skiingsamurai** · 02-13-2009, 09:55 AM

strong work guys

**trainnvain** · 02-13-2009, 10:11 AM

Wow. Just watched the video. That snow sounded really good.
Really nice stuff.

**plugboots** · 02-13-2009, 12:24 PM

Great stuff.

**Yeti** · 02-13-2009, 01:48 PM

Having skied the Sherb on Saturday evening, I can confidently say you were about a mile off. Way to find something significantly more gnarly than the Sherb.

Sherb:

and the white lady: